Vertical dehydrator



L. H. GRANDJEAN ETAL 2,351,676

VERTICAL DEHYDRATOR June 20,1944.

Filed May 17, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor .Leow H Granqfjecn E'qZward PleVass ur Swine /V-Prws 9 y WW 5m Patented June 20, 1944 VERTICAL DEHYDRAT R- Leon H. Grandjean, Edward P. Le Vasseur, and I Sidney N. Prats, New Orleans, La.

Application May 17, 1943, Serial No. 487,322 I 1 Claim. (01. 34-473) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in dryers or dehydrators and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a machine of this character comprising novel means for moving the material being treated downwardly through an upward-1y flowing stream of heated air.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a dryer or dehydrator of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eificient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manu-,

factured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a vertical dryer or dehydrator constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the device with portions thereof broken away.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the material guides.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the screens with the central discharge.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the screens having the peripheral or marginal discharge.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view, showing the means for raising and lowering the vertically adjustable spiral material guides.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a housing I. Rising from the housing I and communicating therewith is a sectional, cylindrical shell 2 of suitable dimensions. The housing I encloses any suitable number of furnaces 3.

The housing I includes lateral extensions 4 which accommodate blowers 5, said extensions communicating with said housing. The blowers 5 may be driven from any suitable source of power. Air return conduits 6 extend between the top 1 of the cylindrical shell 2 and the extensions 4.

Mounted centrally in the cylindrical shell 2 in bearings 29 on supporting bears 30, is a vertical shaft 8 which is driven at the desired speed by an electric motor 9 mounted on the top 1 of said shell. Vertically spaced foraminous screens ID to I5, inclusive, are mounted in the shell 2, said screens being circular in plan. The lowermost screen I5 is stationary but the screens Ifi'to I4, inclusive, are connected to the shait 8 for rotation thereby, said screens- I3 to I4, inclusive, being operable on supporting rollers or bearings I6 which are provided therefor in the shell 2. Thescreens Ill to IE, inclusive, are alter nately provided with central and marginal discharge openings IT and I8, respectively, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawings. v a

Spiral material guides I9 to 24, inclusive, are mounted above the screens ID to I5, inclusive, in spaced relation, but closely adjacent thereto. The guides I9 to 23, inclusive, are stationary relative to the respective screens ID to I4, inclusive, While the lowermost guide 24, above the stationary lowermost screen I5 is mounted on the shaft 8 for rotation therewith. However, the stationary guides I9 to 23, inclusive, are adjustable vertically relative to the respective rotary screens ID to I4, inclusive, whereby the clearance therebetween may be varied. Toward this end, bars 3| are mounted horizontally in the shell 2 above the guides I9 to 23, inclusive. Then, rods 32 are fixed on said guides I5 to 23, inclusive. The rods 32 parallel the bars 3I. Opposed angular brackets 33 are fixed on the rods 32 and the bars 3I. Bolts 34 are secured in the lowermost brackets 33 by nuts 35. The bolts 34 pass upwardly through the upper brackets 33 and are adjustably secured therein by nuts 36 above and below said upper brackets. Thus, by adjusting the nuts 35 the guides I9 to 23, inclusive, may be raised or lowered as desired.

The turns of the spiral material guides I9, 2| and 23 are counterclockwise, while the turns of the guides 20, 22 and 24 are clockwise. Thus, when the material falls on the screens it will be caused to move toward the discharge openings thereof. Cones 25 are provided beneath the central discharge openings IT for spreading the material uniformly on the inner portions of the screens II, I3 and I5 having the marginal discharge openings I8 therein. A chute 26 is provided beneath the lowermost screen I5 for receiving the dried material therefrom.

It is thought that the operation of the apparatus will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the material to be dried is to be fed into the top of the cylindrical shell 2 through a suitable hopper 21. The blow- .ers 5 are arranged to drive the air into the housing I around the furnaces 3 where it is heated to the desired temperature and then upwardly through the screens II) to I5, inclusive, in the cylindrical shell 2. When it reaches the top of the shell 2, this air returns to the blowers 5 through the conduits 6. As the material drops on the successive revolving screens In to I4, inclusive, it is caused to move toward the'discharge openings thereof by the stationary spiralled guides H! to 23, inclusive. When the material reaches the stationary lower screen l5 it is moved toward the discharge opening thereof by the rotating spiral conveyor 24. It will thus be seen that the material alternately flows downwardly and horizontally through the upwardly flowing stream of heated air. This heated air absorbs the moisture from the material and returns to the blowers 5. The drying operation may be conveniently observed at different stages through windows 28 which are provided therefor in the front ofthe cylindrical shell 2. Also electric lamps are mounted in the shell 2 for this purpose. The windows 28 are removable to permit access to be readily had to the interior of the shell 2.

It is believed that the many advantages of a vertical dehydrator constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

the disks, blowers for impelling air around the heating plants and upwardly through the disks in the shell, said housing having lateral extensions in which said blowers are arranged, and return conduits for the air connecting the upper portions of the shell and the lateral extensions of the housing, and cones centrally mounted below the disks with central discharge openings for spreading the material passing to the disks with marginal discharge openings.

LEON H. GRANDJEAN. EDWARD P. LE VASSEUR. SIDNEY N. PRATS. 

